The Pike County Little Theatre will kick off its second annual Summer Theater Festival on Saturday with two performances of the children’s production, “Clowns’ Play.”
As the play opens, clowns serve as ushers, seating youngsters of all ages for a production of “Jack and the Beanstalk.”
But then the unthinkable happens. The play’s ushers get word that the actors’ van has broken down and that they won’t make it to the stage on time.
Undecided on how to solve their dilemma, the clowns save the day. They decide that the show must go on, so they present the play themselves.
PCLT veteran Alydia Rankin returns as director for “Clowns’ Play” with a cast of eight — all of whom will be in clown suits. Rankin also takes on the role of the clown “Moxy,” who plays Jack’s mother.
Others in the cast are Cindy Stewart as “Scrappy” the clown, who plays the lead role of Jack; Larry Stewart as “Mustard,” who narrates and plays Farmer Brown and a chicken; Pake Redditt, who is “Musculo” and portrays the giant; Betsy Harrell, as the clown “Ruffina,” who plays the giant’s wife; Corey Foucheaux as “Boffo,” who plays the con man; Kelly Bonner as “Trinket,” who is the con man’s assistant; and Susan Rankin as “Poxy,” who plays Bessie the Cow.
Curtain time for “Clowns’ Play,” written by Reginald F. Bain, will be 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. this Saturday and on July 28 at the Depot Theater, 206 State St., in downtown McComb. Tickets are $8 and include hot dogs and drinks after the show.
Like the popular PCLT children’s play “Rumpelstiltskin,” presented last summer, “Clowns’ Play” will rely on group participation. The clowns improvise for their performance — asking for help from the audience when they get stuck.
“Clowns’ Play” is one of two summer PCLT productions.
Making its debut on Thursday night is “Blame it on the Movies,” a musical produced by Frankie Glennis and directed by Michael Graves.
“It’s going to be a show full of music,” Glennis said of the two-act production that features well-known movie songs.
Tickets are $8. Performances are 7:30 p.m. July 26-28 and 2 p.m. July 29, then 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10 and 11, and 2 p.m. Aug. 12.
